ATTITUDE OF CHINESE RELIGIONS AND CHRISTIANITY TOWARDS THE ANIMAL KINGDOM

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Abstract

Lao Tzu believed that both infants and sages were free Irorr, t?e danger of any ~njury fron: venomous insects and reptiles, Ieroc~ous brutes .and birds; that In travel, sages would not encounter tigers and blsons: Big game chased in hunting caused hysteria. As a present. or gl~t for sovereigns, Tao itself far excelled carriage. horses and giant pieces of jade. Nevertheless, Tao was so inhuman and ru~hless t.hat It treated all creatures as straw dogs to be discarded Immedl~tely after being used in sacrificial rites. Still humans ought necessanly to embrace or follow Tao just as fish must not ~eave Water. I